Fly Blackbird Retirement Party

A big celebration was in order for my in-laws as they traded careers for beaches! They worked with their super talented graphic designer, Grace Bettino (their daughter), to develop a theme for their retirement party. They selected a favorite song, “Blackbird” by The Beatles. Grace captured the song in a crisp, beautiful, thematic invite, which I used as inspiration for the party design.

I wanted the party to incorporate attributes of birds: the sky, tree branches and flight. To encourage guests to look skyward, I integrated a balloon garland into the tent design. The retirees’ family and I worked as a team to assemble the piece. Like abstract clouds, the white, clear, and marbled balloons hung above guests’ heads gently swaying with suspended branches and birds. The piece was stunning! To balance the large balloon garlands, the tables were dressed with muted gold tablecloths and eucalyptus centerpieces. By the way, the eucalyptus gave off a sublime scent lending to an even more stimulating party space. Other outdoor spaces were accented with gold, yellow and black mini paper garlands.

The retirees planned a band, bar and casual yard games for guests to enjoy. The event was a beautiful celebration of a lifetime of achievements and commitment to their community!

There were a lot of people helping with the installation of this party, which was fabulous! Things went a lot faster than I am used to! A special thanks to Patty and Andy for styling the welcome table, Celeste for styling the dining tables, Karina for the chalkboard and chalk pendant designs, and the muscles of the group for hanging the heavy balloon garlands! It was the perfect gift from us “kids” to the retirees… a beautiful event and a memory we can all share and cherish!

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